Cold-water coral reefs - WWF UK

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Cold-water coral reefs Multibeam technology has opened new avenues for better understanding of seabed topography and the sedimentary environment. National authorities and industry have used this technology both to search for resources of economic interest and to document environmental hazards. This mapping tool is now used to detect coldwater coral reefs that can be recognized by characteristic physical backscatter properties and morphological characteristics (Figure 28 and Figure 7A). However, to differentiate reefs from rocks and other seabed features, ground truthing through visual inspection using towed or mobile camera system carriers is necessary to properly calibrate and interpret multibeam datasets. A number of companies and research groups are developing software tools to support identification of seabed features such as coral reefs (Huvenne et al., 2002). The integration of multibeam data into ROV navigational systems is another challenge. Such systems make it possible to navigate the ROV on the multibeam map in real time. The future application of such combined systems will be a great step forward in enabling the mapping of the full extent and distribution of coral reefs at reasonable costs. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH The new discoveries of cold-water coral ecosystems made by interdisciplinary teams of scientists using stateof-the-art sampling and observation technologies, coupled with the real-time capabilities of the Internet, offer rich opportunities to capture the interest of the general public. In order to stimulate interest in the Earth’s nature and our responsibility for the environment, it is important to improve and increase the dissemination of science to schools and undergraduate students. This is especially so for cold-water coral ecosystems as they are generally located several hundred metres deep – and therefore out of sight. Obtaining good quality photographic images and seabed maps is particularly valuable to show the general public, policy makers and scientists the fantastic range and diversity of corals and other animals on cold-water coral reefs, as well as the devastating effects of damaging activities on these reefs. discoveries from current expeditions, which provide compelling images and video clips in the form of daily logs. The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO focuses on promoting marine scientific investigations and related ocean services, with a view to learning more about the nature and resources of the oceans. For this purpose, the Training-through-Research (TTR) Programme became operational in 1991. The benefits of the TTR Programme extend beyond the achievement of its double purpose of training young marine scientists in the field and conducting marine scientific research. The TTR Programme enhances the capacity of the scientific community by bringing people from diverse backgrounds and geographically distant universities into contact with each other in a collaborative effort. The data and knowledge gathered during the cruises are analysed in multiple laboratories around the globe; their consequences are discussed in each lab as well as at annual TTR research conferences, and their conclusions drafted in scientific journals and papers (www.ioc.unesco.org/ttr). One of the TTR objectives is related to the better understanding of cold-water corals and carbonate mounds in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea (Kenyon et al., 2003; Van Rooij et al., 2003). Outreach Public outreach activities that reflect the increasing number of international and multidisciplinary research efforts related to cold-water corals have increased during the past five years. Media coverage has included numerous popular scientific newspaper articles, radio Figure 28: Mapping and ROV navigation of Lophelia reefs on the northern Norwegian continental shelf: cluster of elongated reef ridges Photo: Jan Helge Fosså, IMR Education An excellent example of how the cold-water coral issue can be used in education is the NOAA programme Island in the Stream: Exploring Underwater Oases (http:// oceanexplorer.noaa.gov). Educators and scientists working with NOAA developed web-based curricula and lesson plans with features such as focus questions, background information for teachers and links to relevant websites (see page 79). Web presentations document the latest 55
Cold-water coral reefs Table 8: A selection of downloadable information brochures related to cold-water corals and their environment Subject Hosting Web link organization Guide to northeast Atlantic fishes Ecoserve Ltd, www.ecoserve.ie/projects/aces/introduction.html observed in Lophelia reefs Dublin, Ireland Seamount report WWF www.ngo.grida.no/wwfneap/Projects/Reports/Seamount_Report.pdf Deep Sea Corals: Oceana report Oceana www.oceana.org/uploads/oceana_coral_report_final.pdf Deep Sea Corals, Atlantic Canada WWF Canada http://www.wwf.ca/NewsAndFacts/Supplemental/CoralReport.pdf Islands in the Stream 2002 NOAA http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/02sab/welcome.html interviews and TV documentaries. Environmental organizations such as UNEP, WWF and Oceana have prepared free and easily readable reports, leaflets and posters providing information on cold-water corals, their environments and status (Table 8). The high-quality video images of reefs in Norway, circulated amongst the scientific and government policy communities in Europe, have rapidly increased appreciation of the importance of cold-water coral reefs. Open events provide the general public with the opportunity to learn about the modern technologies used in cold-water coral research and become familiar with this exciting ecosystem by talking to leading experts. However, perhaps the most attractive way of introducing the public to the fascinating world of coldwater corals is to show living cold-water coral ecosystems. Aquarium displays are still problematic because of the A major subhabitat, the coral rubble aprons practical problems of cultivating deep-water species. However, US facilities, such as the South Carolina Aquarium and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, provide insights into the world of cold-water corals. In Europe live coral displays have featured in public aquaria in Ireland, Norway and Scotland. In addition to aquarium displays there are a number of places where cold-water coral ecosystems exist in relatively shallow water such as in fjords. In some Norwegian fjords small companies offer guided boat trips with a towed camera system to show the reefs in their natural environment. Similar facilities exist in New Zealand fjords. In the Fjordland National Park a public underwater observatory, the Milford Deep Underwater Observatory, was installed in 1995 (www.milforddeep. co.nz/observatory.htm). Here, beneath a thin freshwater cover, deep-water ecosystems including corals are present at a depth of only 15 m. A Phakellia sponge safeguarded by squat lobsters A. Freiwald A. Freiwald 56
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